


Judgement

by catnip



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, post fight check-in
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:55:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22789846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catnip/pseuds/catnip
Summary: A friend is always there to help you up, when you're ready.
Relationships: Beauregard Lionett & Caleb Widogast
Comments: 4
Kudos: 94





	Judgement

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't been able to watch the show in a hot minute and have only kept up over social media, but I love these two and their friendship 4ever. So, just a little something something, short and sweet. Technically this is also me remembering I have a bad things happen bingo card, as this fulfills the "voice breaking" square.

"It suits you," Caleb said, gesturing to his mouth. Beau still had a deep split at the corner of her lip, after brushing off any offers of help.

"Yeah, well. You know."

"I do not."

"Guess not. Not really your style." Her voice took on a defensive edge, "Are you gonna sit down or just tower over me judgmentally?"

"I am not judgemental." But Caleb did sit, dropping down onto the ground next to Beau with a soft grunt. His leg was still a bit sore.

It might as well have been a scream, the way it made her flinch.

Caleb didn't bother to hide how he assessed her as silent minutes passed, looking over her thankfully minor injuries. Studying the way her shoulders hunched so deeply in on themselves. How she stared out into the forest near unblinking; had certainly made sure to find a place to sit that she couldn't see the camp. He saw her, and waited.

Beau didn't bother to hide the dark cloud that had settled over her expression, frown tight. Or the way her hands fidgeted in the grass at her sides.

She let herself be seen.

"I should have pulled back. I shouldn't have-" her voice cracked as she finally spoke, words getting lost. Fingers fisted, the squeaky pop of grass blades torn from the dirt sounding off. 

"Perhaps," was Caleb's only reply, the word mild. Free of censure or scrutiny. 

Beau didn't seem to really acknowledge that he had spoken. Her tone twisted hard and harsh as she found her voice again. "If no one had needed to pull my ass out of the fire, no one would have gotten hurt. No one would- if anyone, it should have been me."

"No, it should not. It should have been no one." Caleb's voice went a little gentler as he spoke, "But that is not something that happens for us very often. We do our best, but a fight is a fight. There is only so much luck in the universe to go around."

Beau half snorted, shaking her head. "Sounds like a shitty way for a universe to operate."

"Agreed." Caleb paused for a moment, watching her again. "You made your best judgement call at the time. That is all any of us ever do. Sometimes it is right, sometimes it is wrong. Sometimes…" he sighed, so small, "it feels like maybe it is both."

"Yeah?" Beau looked at him, expression critical. But he knew her well enough now to see the uncertainty there too. The wary, hurt look in her eye that had nothing to do with the purple shiner that was already forming. "Which one was this then?"

"You got the item we needed. We got you. And everyone got back here, safe and whole. I think that is what you would dub a _slam dunk_. Although I still do not know what exactly it is you are dunking."

"Shut up, Caleb." She tried to scowl, though the humor in her grin shone through. "You say one stupid thing when you're drunk…"

"Perfect memory, you know."

"Yeah yeah. Take your perfect memory and shove it up your ass."

She jostled his shoulder with a shove of her fist, no power behind it. Beauregard brand affection. He smiled back at her.

They sat together, listening to the sounds of the night and the woods. Once Beau was ready, they could go back; Caleb could be patient.


End file.
